Hitmen Start to Take Shape
August 2, 2010 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Chicago Hitmen News Release
Rolling Meadows - It was smiles all around Sunday morning as the Chicago Hitmen wrapped up their final tryout camp this weekend at the West Meadows Ice Arena. Owner Mark Hammersmith was "very satisfied with the level of play" and head coach Steve Pronger said "we achieved all of our objectives this weekend." The camp opened with sixty players competing for a spot in Sunday morning's all-star game with a chance to earn one of twenty-five final invites to the team's training camp in August on the line; twenty-two players will make the final roster.
The all-star game saw the best players at the camp fly up and down the ice in an exciting affair. The final score of 4-3 is a testament to the stellar play in next by all three prospects; Nick Kohn, Mike Coulter, and Peter Mason. Kohn who along with Coulter ended up earning invitations to the Hitmen's training camp, said he, "knew it would be tough, but I felt I had a chance once I made the all-star game." Coach Pronger found the goalie battle to be the "surprise of the camp" and would have liked to keep all three goalies but that simply isn't possible. Jim Albrecht, who scored the third goal of the game and spent last season with the Force (now the Hitmen) in the CSHL was happy to make the team and found the biggest difference between the CSHL and NAHL to be the speed of the game "everyone made faster decisions."
After the all-star game players were informed of their fate. Most players said they were "happy" and "excited" to make the team while a for a few the feeling was that of "relief." After getting the news the players were measured for gear and had pictures taken in their new sweaters.
Overall Pronger and Hammersmith have assembled a veteran team on which every player has junior experience. "Everyone is a "92 or older" Pronger said in reference to the players' birth years. When asked if the older roster was by design Hammersmith said "yes and no, we wanted a veteran team but really we liked the older guys. If a young player had earned a spot we would have taken him though."
The next step for the Hitmen is training camp which opens on August 16, at West Meadows. Coach Pronger will have the task of taking the individual skill that he witnessed at this weekend's camp and fitting it into his system. Pronger says the Hitmen will be "aggressive and hostile," and "difficult to play against." After seeing the talent on display this weekend there is little doubt you can add fun to watch to that description as well.
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North American Hockey League Stories from August 2, 2010
- Hitmen Start to Take Shape - Chicago Hitmen
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